Environmental 360 Solutions, also referred to as ES360S, was determined to be responsible for a south Nanaimo oil spill. Details surrounding what led to the Duke Point industrial park business spill are unclear. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Ian Holmes

spill response

Nanaimo oil spiller identified, no additional sheening reported

Feb 10, 2026 | 5:27 AM

NANAIMO — A notable oil spill flowing from a culvert into the ocean at Duke Point has been traced to the company Environmental 360 Solutions.

The Maughan Rd. based firm was identified as the party responsible by the B.C. government after an estimated 350 to 1,600 litres of an “oily water with hydrocarbon content” entered the ocean, the Ministry of Environment and Parks stated.

The Ministry reported it was first notified of the suspected oil spill on Jan. 5.

“Environmental 360 has been identified by the province as the Responsible Party. Sample analysis has confirmed that the product originated from the Responsible Person’s (Party) business. The province will continue to monitor recovery activities and hold the Responsible Party accountable to provincial spill legislation and regulations.”

An oily sheen spotted in the Cable Bay area of Cedar following a nearby oil spill. (Image Credit: Submitted photo)

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The estimated amount of substance spotted in the ocean followed a Jan. 5 Transport Canada fly-over, which is a spill level range which had not been changed.

‘Those numbers are consistent with aerial flyover estimates completed by Transport Canada’s National Arial Surveillance Program (NASP),” a ministry statement to NanaimoNewsNOW read.

Spotted between Mudge Island and Duke Point, the oily substance triggered concerns from local residents.

The spill was traced to industrial infrastructure connected to a municipal stormwater system, the ministry stated, which then flowed into the ocean at the east side of Duke Point through an outfall pipe.

“Clean-up is complete. No additional sheening has been observed entering the marine environment from the culvert,” the ministry statement read.

Environmental 360 Solutions engaged in a spill response contractor and qualified professionals to clean-up the spill under provincial oversight, the ministry confirmed.

Meanwhile, Bill Sims, City of Nanaimo’s general manager of engineering and public works, stated their storm drainage infrastructure was temporarily damaged.

He said staining from the scene could continue leaching oil into the ocean “for some time.”

“This is of concern to the City, let alone the damage to the foreshore and waters of the channel, although that seems to have been resolved. Our concern remains preventing this from occurring again. We are continuing to follow up with assessments,” Sims told NanaimoNewsNOW.

Our newsroom is awaiting a response from Environmental 360 Solutions regarding how the spill occurred and what preventative actions the company is taking.

Environmental 360 Solutions is an industrial waste management and cleaning company.

According to the company’s website, emergency spill response is among the services it provides.

Branded corporately as E360S, Environmental 360 Solutions operates in several cities across Canada.

B.C. has a “polluter pay” principle, requiring the offending party to clean up spills, while the B.C. government oversees responses to ensure they’re done in a coordinated fashion.

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